The next evening, as Aoki and I spent most of it bored and playing poker in my room since we weren't sure if it was okay for us to leave and wander around Okinawa, Aoki got a phone call. He looked up at me as he held his hand up for a moment as he reached into his pocket as he turned his cards down on the table. He took out his ear piece as he said,

"Hai."

He paused for a moment as he then said,

"Hai...of course-"

He stopped as he looked at me and said,

"I'll be right back."

He got up and went into the hallway outside of my room as I swept my hair back, assuming it was Aya he was speaking to. I leaned back in the chair as I waited for him as I reached up to my ear and tugged on the earrings there. I was still wearing them. God why couldn't I just remove them from my ears...I would be fine...I could do it. They're just earrings. I paused from tugging at my earring when I thought about taking them out. I felt the back of my ear and felt the small clip that kept them in place. I smoothed the tip of my finger over it and unclasped it as I held the earring with my thumb. I started to remove it but that I couldn't. I stopped myself and shut the clasp again as I sighed to myself. I was being so stupid and I knew it and I didn't do anything to correct the situation which just made me all the more angry with myself. As I scolded myself for being a fool, Aoki walked back in. He tucked his hair behind his ear as he said,

"Okay, it was your go."

"How's Aya?"

He looked at me for a moment before he answered.

"He's fine."

I nodded as we went back to our card game.

Around ten that evening, my cell phone rang. I took out the ear piece as I answered.

"Hai."

"Mikkie, where are you and Aoki?"

"In my room Jia."

"Oh good. Come upstairs. I just got a call from Suzuka, I have to go meet with Niikura in half an hour."

"Hai, we're on our way."

I hung up as I turned my cards face up as I said,

"I win. Come on we have to go anyway."

Aoki looked at his cards then mine as he said,

"Fuck...if we were betting real money I would have lost everything."

I picked up the spare change on the table, gathering my winnings as I said,

"I know."

"You should play more often."

I shrugged as he got up and got his trench coat on as we left my room and went upstairs to Jia's suite. Once there, we knocked on the door and waited for a few moments before Jia opened the door. He welcomed us inside as he said,

"I over slept. Well...actually I was awake and then I fell back asleep but told Toki to wake me up but he fell asleep too. If Suzuka didn't call I'd still be sleeping."

Aoki and I stayed near the door as Jia went towards a mirror and adjusted his tie. I saw Toki was still sound asleep on the bed though he was fully dressed. His feet were off the bed, his boots on as he slept. Aoki then said,

"Jia? Is Toki all right?"

"Oh he's fine. Just tired."

Aoki nodded as Jia then finished and picked up his white coat, slipping it on over his black suit as he then went to wake Toki.

"Get up. We're going."

Toki nodded, sitting up as he yawned and then got to his feet and followed Jia out the door. The rest of us followed as we went to the elevator after Jia locked then door behind us. There Toki lit a cigarette as he then swept his hair back from his face as he said,

"I should have spiked this."

Jia looked at him as he said,

"Just how young are you trying to look?"

"I'm not...I'm jus sayin I should have spiked it. It's short enough."

Jia shook his head as Aoki tugged on a strand of Toki's hair and said,

"It's fine. Besides you're gonna fuck up your hair with all that shit in it."

Toki stuck his tongue out at him as Aoki smiled in return. Jia shook his head again as we got into the elevator and then went down to the lobby. There, Suzuka was waiting for us as he bowed his head to Jia as he said,

"Kon ba wa Jia-sama."

"Kon ba wa. I know I'm overly late."

"Not like it matters."

Jia laughed a little as he said,

"True. Is Niikura waiting or around or what?"

"Oh, I sent him ahead to the restaurant."

Jia nodded as he said,

"Let's go."

We arrived at the same restaurant we always go to when in Okinawa, the rich little area with two floors, the upstairs being for VIP and such only. We went upstairs as Jia walked ahead with Suzuka. Toki followed him as Aoki and I stayed not too far behind. Niikura sat at the table, eating already as he had a napkin on his lap. He wore a black suit as well, that thick twist of hair done different tonight. It was all gathered at the top part of his head, the knot spraying in different angles, almost like Jo's. Only thing was Jo's knot fell naturally, Niikura had used some sort of hair product to keep the spikes looking spiked. His bangs fell around the left side of his face as his coat was hung on the back of his chair. I noticed something else sticking from underneath his coat that was propped up against his chair. I thought it was a cane at first, but I didn't recall him needing one the other day. Jia and Suzuka went to join him, sitting down as Toki stood behind Jia. Niikura stopped eating as he blotted his mouth with the napkin and bowed his head to Jia.

"You can speak now."

"Kon ba wa Jia-sama."

Jia nodded as he said,

"You started eating."

"Gomen nasi."

Jia waved it off as he said,

"Don't worry about it. I rarely eat myself."

The waiter came over to take new orders as Suzuka ordered dinner and Jia had a drink. Niikura was given permission to continue eating as Jia said,

"I wanted to meet you when I first saw you. You had that suspicious look to you. Plus, Kyoto and I have bad blood as well as Sapporo and Osaka."

Niikura nodded as he said,

"Hai. I understand. It's why Kyoto's been calm and silent as a grave."

Jia nodded a she said,

"I'm glad. So what's with the hair?"

Niikura paused for a moment as he reached up to a part of his bangs and said,

"It's...just how I style it."

"How old are you?"

"Anou...."

He paused and looked down, meaning he had to be pretty damn young. He then cleared his throat as he said,

"Twenty-five. Twenty-six in a few more months."

"Damn...so you must have been...in your teens when Iida was killed."

"Hai."

"And you've been running it since?"

Niikura nodded as Jia said,

"How'd you get to be in charge of Kyoto?"

"My father was an idiot. He swore he was God some years back, claiming it would be him one day being the ruler of Japan. Then he met Iida. The woman was nothing more at the time then some power hungry broad that just wanted in, somehow some way. My father was that way. She controlled him and my father being the moron that he was, ate up every single thing Iida said to him. When my father was on his death bed, he announced to his associates, to his second in command, to his saiko komon, to everyone, that he was leaving Iida his syndicate. Even though he had me, he disacknowledge it for the bitch that was sucking his dick. So he tossed me aside. I was young myself, but the rights should have gone to his saiko-komon until I was of age. Instead he passed it to Iida. Iida proved she could control the syndicate, since she was a mean bitch anyway. She sent me away and I was too young to do much of anything but kick and scream. I ended up going to school in Osaka for a few years. While I was there, Iida had my mother killed. Because see, Iida was my father's mistress. I came back after that and that's when you were rising into power. Iida thought since she controlled Kyoto and had every man working for her under her thumb because she was spreading to everyone to have them all pussy whipped, she thought she could take you on. Obviously she couldn't. So my birth right was returned to me. And that's why I now run Kyoto."

Jia nodded as he said,

"So Iida was a whore."

"No wonder she was so damn loose." Said Toki.

Niikura laughed as he said,

"You fucked her?"

"I'm the one that killed her kid."

Niikura nodded as he said,

"Yes. She was a whore. It's how she kept her power. She had no morals, no ethics, nothing meant anything to her as long as she was in control, as long as she had power and if she had to fuck every single yakuza in Kyoto to do it, she was going to."

Jia shook his head as he said,

"I thought Toki was bad."

Toki stuck his tongue out at him as Niikura then said,

"But I know of your problems with some cities, your bonds so fragile since you don't trust many. It's why I've kept quiet and ran the city as best as I could. Your associate, Xiao Tien, who runs a casino in my city is protected from anything."

"You protect Xiao Tien?"

"Hai. I know he works for you. It would be on my head if anything were to happen to him."

Jia nodded as the waiter finally came back with his drink and Suzuka's dinner. Jia took a sip from his glass as he said,

"You can't be as sweet and hard working as you seem to be. What's your angle? What do you really want?"

"To stay alive. I have heard of everything that has gone on in Japan having to do with you. I know of your wars, your triumphs and I know going up against you would mean mass destruction. I would not cross you Jia, but I will also not allow you to crush me."

Jia looked at him for a moment as he said,

"So..if I tried to kill you..."

"I would not just bow my head and say yes Jia-sama. I wouldn't go down without a fight."

Jia nodded as he went into his pockets and retrieved his cigarette case and opened it as he got a cigarette out. Niikura went into his pockets quickly as he pulled out his lighter and reached across to light Jia's cigarette. As he started to pull his hand away, Jia grabbed his wrist and turned his hand upwards as he said,

"What's on your fingers?"

"Latin."

"What's it say?"

"Maximus, diende, tertius...on this hand."

He showed Jia his other hand as he said,

"These three say quartus, quintus and sextus."

Jia let his other wrist go as he said,

"What's it mean?"

"One, two, three...all the way to six."

"Interesting. Why numbers?"

"To remind me time is ticking by."

Jia nodded as he set his glass down on the table. Suzuka finally spoke as he said,

"Niikura, as long as you stay out of Jia's bad side, you have no reason to fear death."

"I know...but that doesn't excuse me from anyone else. Nor does that stop anyone else from coming after me. But I'm not worried about them."

"You only fear me?" Asked Jia.

"You're the only one running all of Japan."

Jia nodded as he smoked. He then said,

"I'll make you an offer."

Niikura looked a little surprised. But he listened intently.

"You prove to me what you're capable of and I'll have an alliance with you."

"Honto ni?"

"Hai. But I have to know you're worth it."

"How could I do that?"

"I don't know. Impress me."

Niikura nodded as he said,

"Hai."

After dinner was over, Jia, Suzuka and Niikura got to their feet as everyone began getting their coats on. As Niikura got his on, I saw what the object that looked like a cane was. It was a sword covered in a sheath, the handle wrapped in old fashioned black and white diamond pattern, the hilt of the sword was missing so there was a tiny strip of metal between the handle and the sheath. He picked it up as he fastened it somewhere inside his coat as Jia said,

"Is that a sword?"

"Hai."

"Why are you carrying that around?"

"To use it."

"You actually use that thing?"

"Hai."

Jia smiled slightly as he said,

"Nice."

Niikura gave a bow of his head to thank him as we began to leave. Suzuka picked up the bill as we went outside and Jia, Toki, Aoki and Niikura all lit cigarettes as Jia said,

"Listen, I'm here for another five days. After taking in meetings with any other oyabuns that want to see me before Sunday, I'll be gone. But even after I leave Okinawa, I'm in Tokyo...you can find me there."

Niikura nodded as he then bowed his head as he said,

"Arigato Jia-sama."

Jia nodded as he and Suzuka then left to go int he limo, the rest of us following. Once in the car, Toki said,

"What was all that about?"

"I liked the look in his eyes."

"So you offer him an alliance? Damn."

"I got a good feeling about the kid Toki. Give him a break."

Toki rolled his eyes but said nothing else.

Over the rest of the week, Jia had meetings with many of the oyabuns from across Japan. Each letting him know how things where and how things were operating, how much money was being made over the course of time and so on. Jia had to listen, seeing these people were of importance to his empire. Though he was annoyed and it was clear by Saturday night. After the last meeting with the oyabun of Chiba, Jia curled up in the car and rested his head on Toki's shoulder as he said,

"I'm beyond exhausted."

The rest of us were not as happy either. We all were bored and wanted to get back home. Luckily, that Sunday morning, Jia planned to leave without any further delay. He had meet with all the people that wanted to see him, he had clear accounts of what was going on in his country and the casinos Xiao Tien and Toshimasa had opened across Japan were all funding well and no one dared to touch either the China Doll or Toshimasa since they worked for Jia. Our last night in Okinawa was spent playing poker in my room with one of Suzuka's guards that had accompanied him to see Jia before he left, Toki, Aoki and myself. We played in Aoki's room, using pocket change for money as we waited for Suzuka to be finished with Jia. The game went on for a good two hours, Suzuka's guard, Mika loosing a lot of pocket changed until he had to quit, folding for the last time as he said,

"I'm terrible at this game."

Toki tapped his cigarette against the ashtray on the table between him and Aoki as he said,

"Is all good. We'll be playin fine from here on in."

Mika tucked dark, short brown hair behind his ears as he watched the rest of play. Soon Toki lost his hand to Aoki as he said,

"Fuck! Damn you Aoki!"

"You can beat me at drinking Toki, but not at card games."

"I fold."

It was just Aoki and me now. I picked up two cards after tossing back two of my cards and Aoki picked up one. He threw out some change as I said,

"I see that and I'll raise you..."

I tossed out more then half of the change I had as Aoki nodded and said,

"I call."

He spread out his cards which was a pretty good hand, but not enough to beat me. I laid my cards out, four aces as he said,

"Damnit! That's the second time you did that!"

I shrugged as Mika said,

"Wow...four aces. That's impressive."

Toki whistled as he said,

"You need to play for real. Maybe we should hit up the owners of the game's casino."

"We'd kill man. With Mikkie playing for us."

Toki nodded as they seemed to be forming a plan. I decided to put a stop to it.

"Don't even get any funny ideas. I don't play cards all the time. Just with my associates."

"Pheesh, come on Ghosto, I bet you can beat all of us."

"Not Jun."

"What?"

Aoki and him looked surprised as I said,

"Jun taught me to play. I have yet to surpass my teacher."

Aoki then tucked his hair back as he said,

"Maybe we should bring em both."

"Fuck....the bootleg doctor is good for something after all."

Aoki laughed as Suzuka then opened my door slightly as he said,

"I apologize for interrupting but Mika, I'm ready to leave."

"Hai."

Mika got up, bowing his head to us as he said,

"Thanks for the game."

Toki and Aoki waved to him as Mika and Suzuka then left. Toki then sighed, rubbing out his cigarette as he said,

"Aite, I'm going to bed. I gotta get up early tomorrow."

Aoki nodded as Toki then left and I said,

"I'll be leaving too. Good night Aoki."

"Night."

I then left and went back to my own room where I tried to sleep for a few hours. I managed to get a few in, but as always, I was kept awake by thoughts that never let me rest for long. As I laid in that hotel bed, my cell phone rang. I picked up as I put in the ear piece and said,

"Hai."

"Good evening Yuurei."

"Kon ba wa Kazuki."

"Did I wake you?"

"Wake would imply I was sleeping which I'm not."

"I'm sorry to hear that Yuurei."

"It's okay."

I rubbed my eyes as I stared up at the ceiling through the dark as he said,

"So, you'll be returning tomorrow correct?"

"Hai. I'm surprised you called."

"I held out as long as I could."

I shook my head as he laughed a little.

"I meant, that you called at all."

"Why wouldn't I call you?"

"I don't know."

"You called me before. I'm only returning the gesture."

"Stupid fox."

He laughed again as he said,

"Nice. Now I'm stupid."

"Hai."

He laughed again as he said,

"It's okay Yuurei, I may be stupid but you still waste time with me."

"I know."

We spoke for a while until I saw it was almost four in the morning. I finally yawned as he said,

"You need to sleep."

"Hai...I'll sleep on the train."

"I'll let you go. I'll see you soon anyway."

"Good night."

"Good night."

We hung up as I laid in bed still, glancing up at the ceiling still as I eventually dozed off.